Improvement in sfring-rocktetg chairs



plained; and

t dialisi een "W" CHARLE s fc. SCHMITT, or NE w YORK, N. Y.r

Leners Peten Ne. 85,481, elated Deeember 29, 186s.

MPROVENIENT IN SPRING-BOOKING- QEAIRS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the name.

To all 'wlwm 'it 'ma/y concern:

cabinet-makers as easy-chairs, and has for its objectsto combine, in an economic and eiicient manner, all the functions of an arm-chair, rocker, and adjustable reclining-chair in one piece of furniture, and at the same time to so construct and arrange the several parts that the chair may be folded and packed, -for transportation, in a. very small space; 'and to theseends,

My invention consists, tirst, in making a chair with its seat hingedtoth'e base of the chair, forward ofthe centre, and supported at the front and rear by suitable springs, in such manner that the seat may rock on its hinges, and be eased bythe springs, all as hereinafter more fully described; and

My invention consists, secondly, in the employment of sliding, adjustable, and removable arms, arranged and operating as and for purposes tcbe presently fully ex- My invention consists, 'thirdlyi'n hinging the back of the chair to the seat of the chair,` by means of loophinges, or their equivalents, as will be presently eX- plaine'd, in such a manner that the back may be folded down close to the seat, as wi" e presently described. 'lfo enable those skilled in 'the manufacture of chairs to more fully comprehend my several features of improvements, I will proceed to describe `the construction and operation of one of my improved spring-rocking and reclining arm-chairs,reieriing by letters to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of my chairs; Figure2 is a similar View, with the lower part in sec.- tion, showing the chair with the arms removed, and the back folded down ready for packing;

Figure 3 is a. detail longitudinal ve'rticalgsection` through one of the arms, showing more particularly ,the adjustmentdevices Figure 4-is a cross vertical section at z z, iig. 1; and Figure 5 is adetail view, showing the removable arm detached.

In the several figures ofthe drawings, the same parts .are designated bythe same letters of reference.

A is thebase or lower frame-portion of the chair, which may be made of any desired pattern or design, with its upper part adapted to sustain the seat B in each of its extreme inclined positions.

The seatB is hinged to the-baseA by means of hinges on each (inner) side, (as seen at c 9,) in lsuch manner that the seat can rock back and forth on said hinges,

and said seat is sustained beneath, in front and rear, by means of spiral springs l d and c e, as clearly shown.

It will be observed lthat the pivots or seat-hinges c c are arranged considcrabl y forward of the centre of the seat; that is to say, the seat is so hung on the pivots c-c, that while it can vibrate backward to a considera-` ble extent, it is not capable of moving very far forward.

By this arrangement of the parts, the pivot, or axis of oscillation,is thrown well forward, and thereby the seat is permitted to move in about the same manner as that of a rocking-chair, and with much greater facility .and comfort than is possible in chairs in which the seat is so hinged (near or at the centre) as to be capable only of moving as far back as forward, and so that the axis of oscillation does not come about coincident with the centre of gravity of the body resting on the seat of the chair, (as it does in my improved chair.)

Fare thearm-standards or supports,rwhich are firmly connected to the seat-frame on each side, as shown; and G are the sliding adj ustable and removable arms.

H is the b ack ofthe chair, which is connected to the rear edge of the seat B, by means of loop or straphinges i.

I will explain the construction and operation of one of these hinges;

It is formed of a metallic strip or casting, of about the shape seen in the drawing, (at figs. 1 and 2,) adapted yto be secured by scre rvs, at 1,2, to the seat B, and hav-- in'ga long inclinedslot or opening, in which works a pivot or stud, y, whichproj ects from the lower corner or edge of the back H.

This stud or pivot is free to turn in the slot x, and

thus forms the binge, but it is also free to slide upward in said slot, (being held down only by the weight of the back H,) so that when the back is to be folded down, as shown at iig. 2, the stud y rides upward, to the extreme upper-end of slot a', and thus the back and seat are ,brought into, parallel planes, and sufficiently far apart for the accommodation between them of -the upa' holstering 7s 7e', or cushioning of the seatand back.

The standards F are each provided with a top plate, m, (see ig.4,) which projects alittle over each side, and over which passes one of the retaining-plates s of the arms G, and on each of the standards Fis arranged a bolt, n, having a spiral spring, p, beneath it, to continually press it up, and provided with a handle, q', by means. of which it may be depressed, nl each of these bolts is adapted to catch into holes 3f 5, &c., in the lower face of varm Gr,to retain the latt r longitudinally -by means of a hook catching over a stud, and it is re tained in connection by a swinging lock-piece, w.

The operationof the chair and its use may be thus described:

vperson has only to grasp the arms G G, and pull them forward, when they will slide' over the tops of standards F, (the bolts u being depressed, and passing from one to another of the holes', 4, 5, 8tc.,)'until the back is sufficiently straight.

In If it be desired to incline the back more, then the- -occupaut has to depress the bolts n, by pushing down the handles O 0, and lea'n againstthe back, when the bolts will catch into another set of holes nearer the forward ends of arms G.

When it is desired to fold the chair up, (for the purpose of transportation, either by the manufacturer or in moving furniture,) the lock-buttons w are turned up, (asshown in red, iig. 1,) and the arms disoonnectedat t, and slid entirely oti from the standards F. The back and seat may then be folded close together, as shown at fig. 2, by virtue of the strap-hinge t', and the arms being laid on, the whole apparatus may he packed in a comparatively small rectangular box or case.

Of course the base A may be mounted on casters, if deemed expedient, and its design and construction may be Varied,without departing from the spirit of my invention.

lt will be seen that achair constructed upon the plan oi' my invention, while it may be made economie, and is adapt-ed to be conveniently packed for trans])orlaton will possess all the advantages, in point ol' comiort and elegance, of, a reclining, easy, and rocking-chair.

Having fully explained the several features of my invention', and wishing-to be understood as not limiting my invention to any of the mechanical details of construction necessaryin carrying out theseveral improvements,

W hat l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. Achair having its-seat hinged to the base or lower portion, forward of the centre, substantially as described, and sustained by springs, substantially as a'ud for the purpose set forth.

2. The employment, in combination with a chair having a reclining back, of arms, which are both adjustable' and, removable, in the manner and for the purposes as specified.

3. The employment, in combination with the seat and folding back, of the slotted hinge-pieces, substantially as described, for the purpose 'set forth.

v In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 3d day of February, 1868.

CEAS. C. SCHMITT. [1.. s.]

Witnesses:

'Wim C. MCINTIRE, (i.v A. SCOTT. 

